A few weeks back, I had the opportunity to enter the Aravaipa Running Coldwater Rumble Race in Goodyear, Arizona while in the Southwest US on vacation. Though I have long since reacclimatized to an Ontario winter which has been defined by repeated “Polar Vortex” patterns and more snow and cold than my short term memory can recall from the recent past, I wanted to recount some fond/warm memories from the race.

I had read a lot about Aravaipa racing through social media and blogs of folks who participated in their races.  They put on a ton of races, and the feedback is always very positive.  I will say that my personal experience confirmed all the greatness that I expected.  The organization, course, signage, volunteers, awards, and everything else was flawlessly executed.  They basically had a full kitchen setup at the start/finish area, monitors where you could check results, and an Aravaipa Running swag shop!  There was tons of parking, registration was quick and easy, and the aid stations were all well stocked, and staffed with enthusiastic and supportive volunteers. Even with 6 different race distances happening on the same course, I didn’t see any organizational hiccups.  I can confirm that Aravaipa’s solid reputation is well deserved.

The race itself was a super fun experience for me.  It was cool to run on a hot day in a very different landscape than I am used to.  Rather than try and describe it, I have put together a video report, so check it out in the link below.  I apologize for some of the audio that is hard to hear, I have learned my lesson and invested in a better mic system for the future.  As always, thanks for checking out our site, and enjoy the movie!  Also, stay tuned at the end for a quick recap of what I ate and drank during the race – I was all about Clif Shots and Bloks for nutrition and Honeymaxx for hydration.